Rotary fluid displacement device



Dec. 7, 1937. cu 2,101,428

ROTARY FLUID DISPLACEMENT DEVICE Filed May 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

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F185- BY M6 11 IIURNEY Dec. 7, 1937. E. A. CUNY 2,101,428

ROTARY FLUID DISPLACEMENT DEVICE Filed May 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

/ ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ErnestAlexander Cuny, New York, N. Y., assignor to Cunward, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a. corporation of New. York Application May 1, 1935, Serial No.19,191

10 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary fluid displacement devices.

It is desirable in compressing, delivering, or exhausting gases, inpumping liquids or in creating and maintaining vacuums, that a machineproducing these results be of the positive-actirg rotary type, simpleand economical in construction with a minimum of moving parts,relatively free from friction, noise and wear, efllcient in operationover a wide range of rotational speeds, and adapted to bedirect-connected to a motor or other power drive source at the standardoperating speed of the latter without the need of intermediate speedreduction means.

A considerable number of designs have been proposed for rotarycompressors, pumps and the like, but none have met with any degree ofsuccess due principally to the fact that when they are operated at evenmoderate speeds the fric- 0 tion developed causes excessive heating andfor this reason they are usually required to be run in oil and areaccordingly limited to those applications where the use of oil is notobjectionable. My invention overcomes these objections and obtains allof the above mentioned desirable results.

A preferred embodiment of this invention comprises essentially twoobliquely disposed shafts interconnected and rotatably driven one fromthe other through a universal joint, one of the shafts carrying aslotted conical disc and the other shaft carrying a fiat disc withintegral blades perpendicularly disposed thereon and engaging said slotsin the first mentioned disc, all being housed within a casing having asubstantially spherical chamber and ports through the same, such thatrotation of the elements within the casing causes alternate compressionand expansion of the chambers defined by the oscillating 4U blades, discfaces and easing thereby resulting in suction and compression of thefluid therewithin. It further provides a second or additional stage ofcompression, obtained by extending the blade ends through the conic discslots 4; to positions proximate to a fixed conic surface formed withinthe casing, this additional stage being operable in series, parallel orindependently of the first mentioned stage.

The present invention relates to devices of the 0 type described whereintwo rotatable elements are adapted to provide within a single fixedcasing two separate stages of compression, the elements beinguniversally but positively coupled such that the blades of one aremaintained centrally of the slots of the other, the blades being sodisfluid displacement device which is simple and enocomical ofconstruction and with a minimum number of readily accessible parts. Itis a further object to provide a machine of the type described whichwill be relatively devoid of friction, noise l5 and wearing of parts andwhich will be valveless.

It is a further object to provide a device which will be eflicient inoperation over a relatively wide range of rotational speeds, andoperable at the relatively high speeds of the driving motor or 20 othersource of power to which it may preferably be direct-connected withoutthe necessity of intermediate speed reduction means.

It is also an object to provide such a machine which requires relativelylow starting torque 25 when put into operation against a relatively highpressure on its discharge end or a comparatively low pressure on itssuction end. .It, is a further object to provide a machine which isflexible of arrangement and readily adapted to multi-stage 3u operationboth in series relationship for increase in discharge or suctionpressures and in parallel relationship for increase in discharge orsuction volumes. It is a further object to provide such a machine whichis comparatively small in size and 3:, space occupied compared withexisting similar machines with equal output or capacity. It is a furtherobject to provide a device of this nature, which is self-priming whenused as a liquid pump.

It is another object to have the device capable 40 of rotation in eitherdirection thereby preventing damage or inoperativeness due to faultyoperation. I

It is also an object to provide a device of this nature having but tworotating elements within a fixed casing. It is a further object toprovide such a device having a second stage of compression between oneof the rotating elements and the said fixed casing. It is also an objectto provide such a device having a relatively high volumetric efilciency.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to oneversed in the art in the course of the following description; all ofwhich a is understood to be within the scope of this invention and asmore clearly enumerated in the subtended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this description, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like or similar partsthroughout the same,

Fig. 1. is a plan, cross-sectional in part of a fluid displacementmachine embodying this invention, with the rotating elements shown infull;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional plan of the same, but with its rotatingelements shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bladed disc element;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same; v

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the slotted conical element; and

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same element.

Referring 'to Fig. 1, the fluid displacement machine comprisesessentially two rotating disc elements, l5 and I6, keyed or otherwiseflxedly mounted upon their respective shafts l1 and i8 respectively andadapted to be driven simultaneously and at the same speed within a flxedcasing, l9, comprising the two casing portions I91; and lfib. Disc I6 iscircular in shape, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4 and has a flatworking surface lif, exposed to the fluid, which surface l es in a planeperpendicular to the axis Y-Y of the shaft ii to which the disc isattached. Disc I5 is substantially conical in shape as shown in Fig. 5,and has a conical working surface l5j exposed to the fluid, andopposedly positioned with respect to the corresponding surface l6] ofdisc l6, which working surface l5f of disc l5 forms a portion of aconical surface having an axis X-,-X corresponding to that of itsattached shaft H, the apex of the said cone coinciding with the saidextended axis X--X of shaft IT at a point where the extended axis Y-Y ofthe obliquely disposed shaft l8 preferably intersects that of shaft IT.This point of axes intersection 20 preferably forms the normal center ofrotation of the universal joint 35, or other flexible coupling meansconnecting the obliquely disposed shafts l1 and I8 and causing them torotate in unison when either is driven from any suitable power sourceoutside the casing too well known to those acquainted with the art to befurther described. Shaft I1 is journalled in a thrust type rollerbearing 24 mounted in the casing l9, and shaft I8 is similarlyjournalled in a similar bearing 25 mounted in the opposite side of thecasing I911.

The inner surface of the casing l9 designated by lSs exposed to thefluid, and more specifically that portion of the inner surface withinwhich the periphery lip or edge of disc I5 is caused to rotate, forms aspherical surface the center of which is the center point 20 abovereferred to. The angle formed by the axes of the shafts l1 and I8, whichis determined by the angularity of the conical disc l5, preferablycauses the working surfaces l5f and l6f of both discs to besubstantially parallel along their laterally extending radial centerlines. In other words the sides of the space 26 defined by the tangentportions of the disc working faces are substantially parallel at thehorizontal plane through which the section of Fig. 1 was taken, and thisrelationship is maintained at this point throughout the complete cycleof the rotating assembly. The inner surface of the casing adjacent tothe disc I6 is preferably straight or cylindrical as indicated and istangent to the spherical portion along the line of the plane indicatedby ZZ.

Due also to the oblique relationship of the than it is at the upperportion, and forms a com' paratively open angle instead of beingparallel,

resulting in the space 21 being considerably greater in area than thediametrically opposite space 26 and similarly the volumes of the spacesso represented likewise vary considerably.

The flat disc I is provided with a cylindrical and spherical hub portionI: which is spherical and concentric with the surface l9: and has asimilarly cylindrical portion adjacent to the disc l5 and having as itsaxis Y-Y. The disc I is further provided with blades lia, lib, lie, andI'd extending perpendicularly from the working face lGf of the disc andtangentially disposed with re spect to the cylindrical portion of thehub l6: thereof and equally spaced at angles of degrees from each other.The outer or tip portions of these blades have both cylindrical andspherical surfaces conforming to the particular cross-sectional outlinesof the inner faces lls of the casing portion l9a having also YY fortheir axis and point 20 for their center. The inner ends of these bladeslSa, lib, lie and lid terminate in the hollow spherical hub portion lis,which is further adapted to form the wall portion of a ball and socketjoint of which the hub portion II; of the conic disc forms the female orsocket portion. This ball and socket joint l5s-lis forms a housing forthe universal coupling 35 which connects the obliquely opposed ends ofshafts I1 and II and is adapted to prevent leakage of the compressedfluid into the housing or to prevent the oil or grease with which thecoupling 35 may be lubricated from escaping into the fluid spacesindicated by 26 and 21 in addition to forming a contact surface overwhich the two discs oscillate with respect to each other. Both discs arealso provided with hub portions l5h and lih which are keyed in asuitable manner to their respective shafts l1 and I8 journalled withinthe casing II by bearings 24 and 25.

The conic disc l5 has four slots lia, lib, lie and lid extending insubstantially tangential directions from the spherical part of its hublis and through its entire working face portion from the said hub to itscircumference or periphery lip. These slots or openings are positionedand dimensioned in width such that the blades l6a,

lib, lie and lGd are adapted to reciprocate or oscillate therein with aminimum of friction and fluid leakage between the blade and slotsurfaces which clearances are determined by the nature orcharacteristics of the particular fluid which is to be handled in thedevice. This reciprocatory movement of the blades within theirrespective slots is caused by the blades being rotated about an axiswhich is oblique to the rotational axis of the slots and results in theplane of a given blade face being intersected by the conic surface in aline which is of varying angularity with respect to the working surfaceii) of the flat disc l6 depending upon the angular position of the saidblade about its rotational axis Y-Y of the attached shaft It. Thisangular reciprocation of a given blade within its slot completes onecycle, consisting of one opening and one closing movement of theenclosed chamber 2, during one complete revolution of the shafts l1 andII. The closed, or compressed relationship of the disc faces representedby the space 26, and their open position indicated by 21, always remainin these relative positions, opposite to each other, and fixed withrespect to the casing I941 regardless of the angle of revolution aboutthe rotational shaft axes XX and Y--Y, because these axes remain fixed.

In the particular embodiment shown in Fig. 1, selected for illustrativepurposes only, all rotational torque for turning the flat disc I6 is de-'rived thereby from its attached shaft H, which may be driven in theusual manner from any suitable power source, is transmitted entirelythrough the universal coupling 35, there being no torque or other rotaryforces imposed upon the blades of disc l6 by the slotted portion of thedisc IS in the embodiment shown.

The ends of the casing housing the shafts l1 and I 8 are sealed or madetight against leakage due to pressure within the casing by means ofsuitable stufling box bonnets or end plates 36 and 31 which areadditionally provided with suitable gaskets 38 and are attached tocasing l9 by the usual tap bolts 23 engaging tapped holes 28 in the hubportions of the casing sections l9a and I9b. The casing halves l9a and19b are similarly bolted together by means of the tap bolts 2| passingthrough holes near the circumference of the casing portion l9b andengaging the tapped or threaded holes 22 in the open end of the casingportion [9a. The casing Illa is provided wiih a suction connection 3|and a discharge connection 32 for supplying and discharging fluid fromthat stage of the machine defined by the back or concave portion of theconic rotating element l5 and the conic surface l9c of the casing l9awhich latter surface I90 has as its axis the extended axis Y-Y of theshaft I8 housed within the other portion Hi). The casing portion l9a tworotating discs l5 and I6.

In operation, we will first consider the compression of the fluid withinthe single stage portion of the device as defined by the discs l5 and I6and the four blades or partitioning members Ilia, lfib, llic, lid.Suction and discharge pipes are suitably connected to the threaded ports33 and 34 respectively and the fluid is led into and fills thecompartment 21. This space or compartment formed between the casingsurface Us and the hub is and between the angularly opposed workingfaces l5f and |6f.of the respective discs is at this point in theposition of maximum angularity of the disc faces and consequently theposition of greatest volume of the compartment 21. As the shaft I I iscaused to rotate in either direction, carrying with it the attached discl6, and the integral blades and hub of the latter, the space 21 with itsenclosed fluid is moved past a point where one of the two blades,depending upon direction of rotation, will pass beyond the inlet port 33thereby preventing further passage of fiuid into or from the compartment21.

During the first-half revolution the surface l5! moves from its positionof maximum angularity with surface if, substantially equivalent to twicethe angle at which the axes XX and Y-Y intersect, or twice the angleYOX, to the position diametrically opposite indicated by the space 26,where it is parallel to the face l6f and tangent at the line ZZ. Duringthis 180 degree angular rotation of the moving assembly, the volume ofthe space 21 has correspondingly decreased to that of space 26 and thefluid held therewithin between the same two blades or partitioningmembers has been compressed to a greater pressure than that at which ithad entered through the port 33. As the maximum compression is reachedthe foremost or leading blade passes beyond the discharge port 34permitting the compressed fluid to be forced into the discharge pipe.

As the rotation continues on the last half of its cycle or completerevolution-the compartment gradually increases in volume permitting theresidual fluid, which was not discharged, to expand or reduce inpressure until the leading blade again passes beyond the suction port 33at which point the pressure within the compartment will be less than thepressure prevailing within the suction pipe, thereby causing additionalfluid to enter until the two pressures are substantially equal and thetrailing blade again cuts off the supply to the compartment at whichtime the cycle is started again.

In a somewhat similar manner the fluid entering the suction port 3| iscompressed between the back or concave side of the disc l5 which alsoserves as a working face, and the conic surface l9c of the casingportion l9a which latter surface is positioned and shaped to. providethe proper clearance for the edges of the blades lBa, lGb, I60 and I6d.In this stage of compression fiuid is compressed between a rotatingconic disc and a fixed conic disc the blades not being fixed to either..A given point on any given blade surface will follow an oscillating orreciprocating path back and forth from the disc slot of its respectiveblade, or if near the middle of the blade surface it will pass throughthe slot twice during each revolution. As in the first described stagethe fluid is similarly discharged from chamber 29 through the port 32.

When both of the above mentioned stages are used, compression will betaking place on one side of a given portion of the disc face l5 whileexpansion will be taking place on the opposite side. The suction anddischarge ports 3l32- 33-34 have been shown in Fig. 1 within thehorizontal plane which passes through both shaft axes, but they canobviously be located either above or below this plane in order to cutoff the suction or discharge to suit any particular condition ofoperation or fluid characteristic for I which the device may bedesigned.

When used as a gas compressor at high rotational speeds the clearancesbetween the moving parts may be made suificiently large to keep frictionand heat within reasonable limits and the leakage due to greaterclearances is relatively small due to the comparatively large output ordelivery.

For use as a liquid pump the angularity of the conic disc l5 andobliquity of the shafts l1 and I8 is made comparatively small and theports are preferably made oval shaped or longer in the direction ofrotation and positioned such that the suction and discharge willtakeplace throughout comparatively longer portions of the operating cycle,and expansion and compression will be reduced to a minimum. In amodification of this device for such use the conic disc i5 is preferablyreplaced by a flat disc similarly slotted to receive the blades of theother fiat disc.

As a gas compressor when it is desired to use but one of the two stagesthe other stage is preferably plugged at its ports and the gas thereinwill be alternately expanded and contracted with a minimum expendedenergy, as the expansion in one compartment assists in the compressionin the diametrically opposite compartment. Both stages may be operatedin parallel in the same system or independently in diirerent systems.

In a modification or my invention the fluid will first be compressed inthe chambers open to suction port 3| and discharged directly into thesuction port 33 of the second stage 21-46 for additional compression.The disc I! is preferably shaped and positioned in this modificationsuch that the volume of chamber ll is substantially greater than that ofchamber 21 in order that excessive expansion does not occur indelivering the gas thereto avoiding excessive pressure drop andmaintaining a greater overall pressure differential between the suctionpressure at port 3| and the final discharge pressure at port 34.

A modification of my device comprises a'rotary fluid meter bysubstituting any suitable revolution counting device for the rotationalmeans. Rotation of the meter is caused by the flow of the fluidtherethrough, the volume of displaced fluid per revolution havingcomputed or measured suitably registered on a dial in a manner wellknown to the art. It is also contemplated in this and othermodifications that each rotating element be alternately slotted andbladed such that each will carry both slots and blades complementary tothe opposed element.

My invention is not limited to the embodiment shown which has beenmerely selected for illustrative purposes only. It may be provided with3 or more blades and the blade carrying member may be in the form of aconical disc similar to the slotted disc where greater ratios ofcompression and greater volumetric efliciency is desired. In othermodifications both rotating discs may be either flat or plane surfaced,spherical or any spheroid of revolution in shape, or any combination ofeither of these shapes.

In another modification the universal joint may be dispensed with andthe rotational torque transmitted from either disc through the bladesengaging the disc slots. In still another modification the discs may bedriven' separately and at the same speeds from opposite sides of thecasing.

While I have shown but one of the many possible modifications of myfluid displacement device, it will be understood that the shape andarrangements of the elements may be varied considerably to suitparticular conditions and it is intended that they all be considered asbeing within the scope and spirit of this invention.

What I' claim is:

1. In a fluid displacement device, a rotatable element having bladesthereon, a casing having a chamber within which the said element isadapted to rotate, the said casing having a conic portion forming a partof said chamber and opposed to and having the same axis as the saidrotatable element such that the edges of the said blades are adapted torotate contiguously thereto, a rotatable conic element having slotsthrough which the said blades are adapted to reciprocate, the said conicelement having a separate axis intersecting the first said axis, inletand outlet ports in the casing between the said conic portion thereofand the said conic element, inlet and outlet ports between the firstsaid element and the said conic element, and means adapted to rotate thesaid rotatable elements whereby fluid is caused to be drawn in throughthe said inlet ports and discharged through the said outlet ports.

2. In a fluid displacement device, a rotating bladed element, a rotatingslotted element adapt-.

ed to have the said blades reciprocate within.

the slots thereof, a. casing having a spherical chamber within which thesaid elements are journailed and adapted to rotate on separate axes,

the said axes intersecting within the chamber,-

inlet and outlet ports in the said casing, the said blades and slotsbeing tangentially disposed with respect to the said axes of theirrespective elements, and flexible coupling means positioned at said axesintersection adapted to cause rotation to be imparted from one of thesaid elements to the other such that when either element is caused torotate fluid supplied to the said inlet port is caused to be dischargedunder increased pressurethrough the said outlet port.

3. In a fluid displacement device, a rotating bladed element having ahollow spherical hub, a

rotating slotted element adapted to have the said blades reciprocatewithin the slots thereof, the said slotted element having a hollowspherical hub adaptedtoepgage the ub of the first mentioned element, acasing ha tag a spherical chamber within which the said elements arejournalled and adapted to rotate on separate axes, the said axesintersecting within the chamber, inlet and outlet ports in the saidcasing, the said spherical hubs of the said elements being adapted toform a ball and socket joint about which the said elements are adaptedto oscillate, the said blades and slots being tangentially disposed withrespect to their respective spherical hubs, flexible coupling meanspositioned at said axes intersection ing a plurality of blades extendingtangentially from its hub portion, the other of said elements havingslots tangentially disposed with respect to its hub portion, the saidblades being adapted to reciprocate within the said slots upon rotationof the said elements, ports in the said casing, and means for rotatingthe said elements.

5. In a fluid displacement device, elements rotatable about separateoblique axes, a casing within which said elements are journalled forrotation, each of said elements having spherical hub portions adapted tooscillatably engage each other, one of said elements having a pluralityof partitioning members extending tangentially from its hub portion,another of said elements having openings-tangentially disposed withrespect to its hub portion, the said members being adapted to oscillatewithin the said openings upon rotation of the said elements, the saidaxes intersecting at the center of the said engaged hub portions,suction and discharge ports in the said casing, and means to impartrotation to one of the said elements.

6. In a fluid displacement device, elements rotatable about separateoblique axes, a casing within which said elements are journalled forrotation, each of said elements having hollow spherical hub portionsadapted tooscillatably engage each other, one of said elements having aplurality of blades extending tangentially from its hub portion, anotherof said elements having slots tangentially disposed with respect to itshub portion, the said blades being adapted to oscillate within the saidslots upon rotation of the said elements, flexible coupling meansconnecting the said elements positioned within the saidengaged hubportions, ports in the said casing, and means to rotate one of the saidelements.

7. In a fluid displacement device, a rotatable element having aplurality of blades tangentially disposed thereon, a casing having achamber within which the said element is adapted to rotate, the saidchamber being defined by an 'internal spherical portion of the saidcasing and a portion opposed to the said element, edges of the saidblades being adapted to rotate in close proximity to the said casingportions, a second rotatable element having slots through which the saidblades are adapted to reciprocate, the said second element beingdisposed within the said casing between the said opposed portion thereofand the first said element, the two said elements being adapted torotate on separate intersecting axes, inlet and outlet ports in thecasing adapted to form a compression stage between the two saidelements, inlet and outlet ports in the casing adapted to form a secondcompression stage between the second said element and the said opposedcasing portion, and means to rotate the said elements whereby fluid maybe drawn in through the said inlet ports and discharged through the saidoutlet ports.

8. In a fluid displacement device, a casing having a chamber defined byspherical and opposed end surfaces, an element journalled for rotationin the said casing adjacent the first of the said end surfaces, a secondelement having slots and journalled for rotation within said casingintermediate the said end surfaces thereof, blades carried by the firstsaid element and adapted to reciprocate in said slots and rotate inclose prox- 45 imity to the spherical and opposed end surfaces of saidcasing chamber, ports in the said casing adapted to form fluidcompression stages between the said elements and between the second saidelement and second said end surface, and means to rotate the saidelements.

9. In a fluid displacement device, a casing having a chamber defined byspherical and opposed end surfaces, a rotatable element journalled forrotation in the said casing remote from one of the said end surfaces, asecond element having slots and journalled for rotation within saidcasing and being disposed between the first said element and the saidremote end surface, the said remote end surface being generated aboutthe extended rotational axis of the first said element, partitioningmeans extending through the said slots and adapted to rotate with thesaid elements about the axis of the first said element and in relativelyclose relationship with the said spherical and remote end surfaces ofsaid casing chamber, ports in the said casing adapted to form fluiddisplacement chambers on either side of the second said element, andmeans to rotate the said elements.

10. A fluid displacement device comprising at least two spaced elementsrotatable about separate axes, the said axes intersecting at a pointintermediate the two elements, the said elements having opposedlydisposed blades and slots tangentially arranged with respect to the axisof their respective elements, a casing defined by a concentric outerportion and opposed end portions, the concentric portion having the saidpoint as its center of development, each of the said end portions havingone of the said axes as its normal central axis of development, aplurality of inlet and outlet ports extending through the said casing,and means to rotate the said elements whereby the blades of one arecaused to oscillate within the slots of the other and fiuid displacementis developed from within the spaces between the elements and between atleast one of the elements and its adjacent end portion.

ERNEST A. CU'NY.

